U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., made a strange prediction during a recent Senate hearing at which dozens of illegal aliens were openly encouraged to "stand and be recognized" for their "sacrifice" in attending the hearing.

"When I look around this room, I see America's future," Durbin declared to the unlawful immigrants. "Our doctors, our teachers, our nurses, our engineers, our scientists, our soldiers, our congressman, our senators and maybe our president."

What he apparently forgot -- or ignored -- is the fact that the U.S. Constitution forbids even lawful immigrants to become president, and so it certainly denies the White House to those who have come to the United States illegally.

That disrespect for the Constitution is deeply troubling, especially coming from a member of Congress who is sworn to "support and defend" the Constitution. If Durbin wishes to see the Constitution changed, there is an amendment process through which he can try to bring that change about. Otherwise, he should not be dismissing portions of the Constitution that he does not like.

What's more, it is appalling that lawbreakers should enjoy Senate "recognition" for their open defiance of U.S. immigration law -- almost as if they had performed some act of heroism.

The fact that they were freely able to identify themselves in a public forum without any apparent fear of arrest and deportation shows how abysmally the federal government is performing its job of upholding immigration laws.

It is disturbing that the federal government will not firmly enforce the law, and that some of our lawmakers are encouraging illegal behavior.